Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today we are praying for vocations to the priesthood and religious life in our diocese. I
suspect that many of you are thinking to yourselves, ‘We are always praying for vocations;
we never stop’. However, we must not lose heart in this endeavour because we know that it
is a command coming directly from the Lord. ‘The harvest is rich, but the labourers are few,
so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’ (Matthew 9.37) So never give
up storming heaven! It would be good if every parish were to have at least one hour of
adoration before the Blessed Sacrament for this intention every week. And we need to
encourage vocations at every opportunity, in our families and among the young people that
we meet. A mature diocese like ours should be self-sufficient in vocations to the priesthood
and the religious life. Pope Francis, in his message for today, reminds us that ‘A vocation
flows from the heart of God and blossoms in the good soil of faithful people, in the experience
of fraternal love.’
In today’s gospel reading, we heard: ‘The sheep follow because they know his voice’. Jesus
was speaking firstly of himself, the longed-for Good Shepherd of God’s flock. People
followed him because they knew his voice to be the voice of one who could be trusted, who
cared, who would lead them to safety through the dark valleys of life to the Lord’s own
house. Jesus was also speaking of those who would come after him, who would be shepherds
after his own heart (Jeremiah 3.15), his priests. Hopefully we have all known priests whose
voices have been for us that of the Good Shepherd. Perhaps it has been a much loved parish
priest who was simply part of our lives; perhaps a priest who offered advice or comfort at a
time of sadness, who shared in a joyful celebration, who heard our confession. Quite simply,
such priests have been ‘other Christs’ for us. There is a true story of a worldly-wise agnostic
nineteenth century Parisian lawyer, who out of curiosity went to see St John Vianney, parish
priest in Ars, France. After his visit he not only returned home, but he also he returned to the
practice of his faith. When asked ‘Why?’ by his friends, he replied simply, ‘I saw God in a
man.’ St John Vianney said – and it applies to all priests: ‘if we had faith, we would see God
hidden in the priest, like a light behind a glass, or like wine mixed with water.’
I know these are challenging times for us all, and especially for our young people. There will
always be obstacles and problems that demand we swim against the tide. Again I quote from Pope
Francis’ message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations: ‘the true joy of those who are called
consists in believing and experiencing that he, the Lord, is faithful, and that with him we can
walk, be disciples and witnesses of God’s love, open our hearts to great ideals, to
great things. “We Christians were not chosen by the Lord for small things; push onwards
toward the highest principles. Stake your lives on noble ideals!”’ More specifically, speaking
of celibacy and virginity, the Holy Father adds that these are not negative concepts. ‘Of
course it involves the renunciation of the marriage bond and of having a family of one’s own,
but at its foundation and core there is a “yes”, as a response to Christ’s total “yes” to us,
and this “yes” makes us fruitful’.
Today I also ask you to support the formation of the candidates who are already in seminary
and in training from our diocese. They have come from our families, our parishes, our
schools. Some of you will know them. One of them, Philip Cunnah, will be ordained as a
Deacon in June. Please keep them in your prayers. When they come to your parishes on a
pastoral placement, or when you meet them at a diocesan event, do take the opportunity to
encourage them. Today there is also a special collection for the Priests Training Fund. I ask
you to support this as generously as you are able. Our seminarians will be your future parish
priests.
For them and for all of us we pray to the Father in the words of our opening prayer at Mass
today:
Almighty ever-living God,
lead us to a share in the joys of heaven,
so that the humble flock may reach
where the brave Shepherd has gone before.
Yours in blessed hope,

Bishop of Middlesbrough